2020-21 Premier League: Week 20 – Brighton v Fulham

Brighton welcome Fulham to the Amex Stadium in a crunch relegation clash at the foot of the Premier League table. 

Victory could put Brighton as high as 15th with a win and eight points clear of the relegation zone, whereas Fulham will stay 18th with a win and close the gap to safety down to two points.

 

Team News

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Adam Lallana could return for Brighton after illness kept the midfielder sidelined in recent weeks.

Aaron Connolly (groin) and Jason Steele (illness) are also in contention to feature subject to a late fitness test but Alireza Jahanbakhsh (knock), Tariq Lamptey (hamstring), Jose Izquierdo (thigh), Florian Andone and Danny Welbeck (both knee) are still ruled out.

Fulham could welcome Antonee Robinson back after he completed a two-match ban following his red card against Chelsea a week-and-a-half ago.

Terence Kongolo (foot) could also feature but Tom Cairney (knee) remains absent.

 

Stat Attack

• Brighton are winless in three previous Premier League meetings against Fulham (D2, L1).
• Fulham have won just one of their last five trips to Amex Stadium (W1, D2, L2).
• Brighton have scored just one of two penalties in three previous Premier League meetings against Fulham.
• Fulham’s Alphonse Areola has made the joint most saves for an European goalkeeper in the Premier League this season excluding English goalies, having made 67 saves alongside Leeds’ Illan Meslier.
• No Brighton player has won more aerial battles in the league so far this season than Adam Webster who has won 51 of his 83 aerial battles.

 

Prediction

We are right at the half-way point yet this match feels like an absolute six-pointer in the battle for survival because Brighton look to have found some form with two solid wins in their last two outings across all competitions.

Fulham meanwhile will be up for this given their recent league form but they were absolutely battered by a clinical Burnley team to crash out of the FA Cup, meaning that there is a point to prove because a win will give them real hope of survival.

Either way, this definitely feels like a pivotal match that could well be looked back upon by both teams come May as the difference between safety and relegation, although I am going for a draw because I can see both defences cancelling one another out here.

Prediction: Brighton 1-1 Fulham

Result: Brighton 0-0 Fulham